Double seamer



Jan. 2, 1934. w CAMERON 1,941,972

DOUBLE SEAMER Filed Dec. 11, 1931 5 Sheets-Sheet l fax/en??? MW% W Jan.2, 1934. w CAMERON 1,941,972

DOUBLE SEAMER Filed Dec. 11, 1931 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 fzzz/e zZzam@77287072 Jan. 2, 1934.

Y W. CAMERON DOUBLE SEAMER 5 Sheets-Shet 4 Filed Dec. 11, 1951 @WALWW,WWW

Jan. 2, 1934. w CAMERQN 1,941,972

DOUBLE SEAMER Filed Dec. 11. 193,1 5 SheetsP-Sheet 5 i'l A fizz/e72???96 ZflzZZzt tm Cameron Patented Jan. 2, 1934 PATENT OFFICE DOUBLE SEAMERWilliam Cameron, Chicago, Ill. assignor to Cameron Can Machinery 00.,Chicago, Ill, 11. corporation of Illinois Application December 11, 1931Serial No. 580,262

7 Claims.

This invention relates to seaming machines for securing can ends orheads to can bodies. One type of machine of this character employs arotating head which carries tools or dies for seaming the peripheraledge of a can end to the outwardly flanged end of the can body, the diesbeing so shaped as to form a double seam and being actuated toward andfrom the can body by the differential action between the speeds ofrotation of a head to which the cam arms are pivoted, and a secondrotary cam member.

It is to this type of machine that is known as a double seamer that thisinvention relates and moreparticularly to a single head machine in whichonly one can is operated upon at a time, although it will be manifestthat this invention will be applicable to multi-head machines.

It is the purpose of this invention to provide a machine of theforegoing type which provides for greater speed and accuracy and. whichis semiautomatic in its operation, that is, the dies must be setmanually into operative position but are thereafter automaticallymaintained in operative position until the seaming is completedwhen thedies are immediately and automatically returned to inoperative positionand the table lowered to permit removal of the can; and which furtherprovides for resumption of operation at any time without the necessityof waiting for a predetermined position or relation of the parts to bereached.

In accordance with thisinvention a continuously rotating head isemployed and electrical means are provided for automatically returningthe dies to inoperative position and lowering the can table immediatelyat the completion of setting the machine for immediate resumption of theseaming operation at any time regardless of the immediate position ofthe head. Means are also provided to facilitate placing the can andguiding the can to operative position to have the end seamed thereto.

Other novel features and their resultant advantages will be apparentfrom the following description given in connection with the drawings, inwhich:

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of a double seamer constructed in accordancewith this invention, the head guard being omitted, and a portion of themain standardor support being broken away to show the interiormechanism,

Fig. 2 is a front elevation of the machine, the head guard being againomitted and certain parts being shown in section to illustrate theinterior construction,

Fig. 3 is a horizontal section through the main pedestal taken on line3-3 of Fig. 1 illustrating the table trip mechanism,

Fig. 4 is a vertical central section of the head of the machine taken online 4-4 of Fig. 2 illustrating the head and cam driving mechanism,

Fig. 5 is a bottom plan view taken on line 5-5 of Fig. 1 illustratingprimarily the forming rolls or dies,

Fig. 6 is a horizontal transverse section on line 6-6 of Fig. 4immediately above the two cams,

Fig. '7 is a detail of the clutch for connecting the drive to produce adifferential cam action,

Fig. 8 is a view taken on line 8-8 of Fig. 5 illustrating theconstruction of one of the arms and forming dies,

Fig. 9 is an end elevation of one of the forming die arms showing theactuating mechanism extending through the head, and

Fig. 10 is an electrical diagram showing the connections to theautomatic electrical apparatus.

The entire machine is supported upon a hol low pedestal 1 generallyrectangular in cross section, and in the upper end of which isjournalled a main driving shaft 2 in spaced bearings 3 and 4. At itsouter end shaft 2 carries a pulley 5 by means of which power may beapplied to the shaft through a suitable clutch 6 operated by clutchlever 7. The inner end of the shaft carries a bevel pinion gear 8 havingan elongated 8 hub 9 which serves as a bearing for the shaft, beingkeyed thereto for rotation with the shaft. The inner end of shaft 2 alsocarries a relatively smaller bevel pinion gear 11 mounted for rotationon the shaft and being provided with a series of radial clutch teeth 12upon its inner face adapted to be engaged by a similarly toothed clutchfinger 13 slidingly mounted within the hub 9 of gear 8 and selectivelymovable into and I out of engagement with clutch teeth 12 to causeeither one or both gears 8 and 11 to be positively driven for reasonswhich will hereinafter appear.

Clutch finger 13 is normally maintained in disengaged position by a pairof springs 14 positioned in sockets formed in hub 9, and engag- 10 ing acollar 16 secured to the outer end of finger 13. Collar 16 is movedagainst the action of springs 14 to engage clutch finger 13 by a pair ofarms 1'7 carrying rollers 18 at their upper end and being pivoted on apivot 19 at their lower 5 ends. Also secured to pivot 19 is an upwardlyextending arcuate arm 21 to the upper end of which is pivotallyconnected one end of a pair of toggle links 22, the other ends of whichare connected to one end of a cooperating toggle link 23 also pivoted at24 to arm 1'7 intermediate the ends of the latter. Toggle links 22 and23 are actuated by a rod 26 which extends downwardly through theinterior of the pedestal and is operated by means later to be described.

Also secured in the upper end of the pedestal is a stationary tubularvertical shaft 30 upon which is Journalled a rotary head 31 uponbushings 32 and a thrust bearing 33. The head carries a ring gear 34which engages pinion gear 11 and is driven thereby when clutch 13 isengaged. Journalled on the head for rotation thereon is a rotary membercomprising a larger ring gear 36 to the hub of which is secured forrotation therewith three ring cams 37, 38, and 39. Ring gear 36 engagespinion 8 and is driven thereby. The hub portion of ring gear 36 isprovided with two or more sockets to receive springs 41 which engagefriction plates 42 and urge them into contact with the upper face ofhead 31 whereby head 31 is frictionally driven by ring gear 36 throughgear 8 when gear 11 is disengaged from shaft 2 by retraction of clutchfinger 13.

The seaming dies, two being used in the illustrated machine, areactuated through a pair of levers 43 pivoted at one end upon studs 44secured to head 31 adjacent the periphery thereof. The free ends of thelevers project inwardly toward the center of the head and carry rollers46 thereon which travel in a cam groove 47 formed in the cam plate 48secured to the underside of the head, the cam groove being shaped inaccordance with the contour of the can end intended to be seamed.Pivoted to levers 43 are operating levers 49, the inner ends of whichcarry dies 51 shape to seam the can end to the can body. Also journalledin the head 31 are two rocker shafts 52 which pass through the head andcarry at their lower ends upon one side of the head, arms 53 whichengage adjustable cam dogs 54 secured to the outer end of levers 49 tomove levers 49 relatively to levers 43. The upper end of rocker shaft 52carries a pair of cam arms 56 which lie on the upper surface of thehead, one of which engages cam 37 and the other of which engages cam 38.

From the foregoing it will be seen that rollers 46 through cam groove 47move levers 43 and 49 and die 51 into proximity to the can top and causeit to follow the contour thereof, whereas levers 49 with dies 51 thereonare moved relatively to levers 43 to curl the edge of the can end andseam the latter to the can body by engagement of cam arms 56 with cams37 and 38. The seaming is caused by a differential action that is adifference in speed of rotation between the head and the cam rings, thatis, cams 37 and 38 rotate relatively to the head and move dies 51inwardly against the can end and body when pinion 11 is engaged byclutch pin 13. When pinion 11 is disengaged from the head the cams willbe driven through friction plates 42, the cams and head being driven atthe same speed. The movement of the die members 51 through thedifferential action between the cams and head is old and well understoodin the art and will not be described in greater detail.

To facilitate placing the can bodies and ends in position to be operatedupon, and to guide the can bodies and ends on the table into positionwithout necessitating the operator placing his hand in proximity to thedies, a sliding template 59 is employed, the latter being slidablevertically into lowered position as shown in Fig. 4 upon guide pins 61and 62 projecting from cam plate 48. The template is normally urged tolowered position by spring 63 and is limited in its downward movement byrod 64 which extends up through the center of the hollow stationaryshaft 30. In lowered position the operator has full view of the templateand can readily place the can body and end in proper position.

A table 66 is arranged beneath the head to carry the can bodies and endsinto operative position and for this reason is mounted upon a slidingrod 67 guided for reciprocating movements in a bearing 68 projec ingforwardly from pedestal 1. A yoke collar 69 is secured to the lower end'of rod 67 but held against axial movement by collars 71 and 72. a pairof pins 73 carried at the outer end of the yoke lever 74, the latterbeing secured intermediate its ends to a rocking shaft 76 journalled inpedestal 1 for rocking movements therewith. The inner end of lever 74(Figs. 1 and 3) is bifurcated and terminates in a clevis carrying a pinwhich engages in a slot 77 in a socket 78 connected to the lowerthreaded end of rod 26. Slot 77 provides for a certain amount of lostmotion which may be regulated through the means of adjusting set screw79.

It can be seen from the foregoing that when yoke lever 74 is rocked in aclockwise direction (Fig. 1) about its shaft 76, rod 67 and table 66will be raised to move a can thereon into engagement with template 59which will guide the can and end into operative position. At the sametime rod 26 is pulled downwardly against the action of spring 81 andstraightens links 22 and 23 thereby swinging lever 17 to the left tocause engagement of clutch pin 13 whereby the cams and head are drivenat different speeds. Lever 74 is latched in its operative position inwhich the outer end is raised by means of a latch lever 82 which engagesa latch arm 83 also secured to shaft 76 and extending between the armsof the inner bifurcated end of lever 74. Lever 82 extends downwardlythrough the bifurcated inner end of lever 74 and is connected to theplunger 84 of a solenoid 86 by means of which the latch may be trippedto permit counterclockwise rotation of yoke lever 74 (Fig. 1) wherebytable 66 is lowered and rod 26 is raised thus breaking the toggle linksto disengage clutch pin 13.

Lever 74 is raised by a cam arm 87 secured to a shaft 88 journalled inbearings 89 projecting forwardly from the pedestal. A foot lever 91 isalso secured to shaft 88 whereby shaft 88 and arm 87 may be rocked tocause the high point 92 to engage a cam roller 93 carried by arm 74 andthereby raise the arm into full operative position, at which time clutchpin 13 is engaged. The cam arm 87 also carries a low point or recess 94at which point lever 74 is raised high enough to place the can and coverinoperative position but not high enough to straighten toggle links 22and 23 to cause pin 13 to engage gear 11.

The machine is arranged to automatically disengage clutch finger 13immediately upon a complete seaming operation, that is, after the headhas rotated a sufllcient number of turns, at which there will be adifferential action of one complete rotation of the cam gear. For thispurpose, the third cam ring 39 is provided with a high point 95 whichactuates a spring pressed plunger 96 to engage switch contact 97 toenergize solenoid 86 to trip latch lever 82, resulting in disengagementof clutch finger 13. The high point 95 is, of course, timed to causeenergization of solenoid The yoke collar is engaged by- 86 after adifierence of one rotation between the head and the cams has occurred,that is, after the dies have completed the seaming operation.

The circuit for energizing and de-energizing the solenoid at properperiods includes a switch member 97 which is mounted upon the head forrotation therewith but insulated therefrom and which is grounded whencontacted by plunger 96 when actuated by cam 39. Switch contact 9'7 isconnected by wire 98 to a contact ring 99 carried by but insulated fromthe upper end of head 31 engaged by brush 100 and connected by wire 101to the energizing coil 102 of the low voltage relay. The other side ofthe coil is connected by wire 103 to one end of the secondary of thetransformer 104, the other end of the secondary being grounded to theframe of the machine to complete the circuit, the circuit being groundedby plunger 96. The primary of the transformer is coimected by wires 105and 106 to any suitable source of current through any standard cut-out107 and switch 108. The relay controls a pair of contacts 109 which inturn control the current supply to relay 86. One end of the relay isconnected by wire 110 to the source through wire 105 and the other endis connected to the other side of the supply by wire 111, contacts 109and wire 112 which connects with wire 106.

, From the foregoing description of the circuit, it will be seen thatwhen switch contact 97 is grounded through plunger 96, the relay will beenergized through wire 98, ring 99, brush 100, wire 101, wire 103 andtransformer secondary 104. The energization of the relay causesenergization of the solenoid 86 through wire 110, wire 111, contacts 109and wire 112. Energization of the solenoid trips the latch lever 82which causes both head and cam rings to be driven from gear 36 with theresult that there is no diiferential action between the head and camsand no seaming action of the rollers.

The operation of the machine is believed to be obvious from theforegoing description and will, therefore, be only briefly summarized.

The operator throws clutch lever 'I to apply power to the machine,places a can and can end to be seamed thereto upon the table 66 anddepresses foot lever 91 until cam roller 93 is engaged by the lowerportion 94 of the cam arm 8'7. During the upward movement of the tablecaused by the depression of the foot lever, the can cover engagestemplate 59 which is in downward position and if the can has not beenaccurately placed, it can readily be adjusted prior to inward movementof rollers 51. When the cam roller rests in the portion 94 of the camarm, the can will be in position with the template pushed upwardly intoretracted position. The lowered template permits the operator to see theexact position of the can and accurately locate it before it projects upinto the space between the rollers. Foot lever 91 is then depressed toits full extent which causes roller rod 26 to cause clutch pin 13 intoengagement with gear 11. Engagement of clutch pin 13 causes adifferential action between gear 36 carrying cams 36, 33 and 39 and head31. After the head has made a suflicient number of revolutions to resultin a difference of one revolution in rotation between the head and cams,the high point 95 of cam ring 39 engages plunger 96 which closes thecircuit which energizes the relay and consequently solenoid 86. Thistrips latch lever 82 which has moved into latching engagement upondownward movement of the inner end of lever '14, permits raising of rod26 under action of spring 81 andlowers the table. As soon as a new canhas been inserted in place the cycle may be repeated.

It is obvious from the foregoing description that the machine is fullyautomatic to release the seamed can after which it may be started at anypoint without waiting for a predetermined position of the head or anyparticular relation to occur between the cam rings and head although thehead is continuously rotated which eliminates the starting and stoppingof the massive parts of the machine.

Many minor changes in the construction will be apparent to those skilledin the art without departing from the spirit and scope of the inventionas defined in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. In a can end seaming machine, a rotary head, seaming dies carried bysaid head, a rotary member for moving said dies into and out ofoperative position, driving means including a selectively operableclutch for rotating said head and rotary member in unison orindependently, a latch for holding said clutch in one position,electro-magnetic means for releasing 100 said latch, and means carriedby said members and automatically operable to energize said latter meansafter said head has made one revolution relatively to said rotarymember.

2. In a can end seaming machine, a rotary 105 head, seaming dies carriedby said head, a ro- ,tary member for moving said dies into and out ofoperative position, driving means including a selectively operableclutch for rotating said head and rotary member in unison or independnoently, toggle links arranged to actuate said clutch, a latch for holdingsaid links in one position, electro-magnetic means for releasing saidlatch and means for energizing said latter means upon predeterminedrelative movement between said head and said rotary member.

3. In a can end seaming machine, a rotary head, seaming dies carried bysaid head, a rotary member for moving said dies into and out ofoperative position, driving means for ro- 12o tating said head, meansselectively operable for driving said rotary member at a speed differingfrom said head, an electric circuit including a switch for controllingsaid selective means, and

a cam carried by said rotary member arranged to open and close saidswitch upon predetermined relative movement between said head and saidrotary member.

4. In a canend seaming machine, a rotary head, seaming dies carried bysaid head, a rotary member for moving said dies into and out ofoperative position, driving means including a selectively operableclutch for rotating said head and rotary member in unison orindependently, and a template for supporting the can end while beingseamed, said template being movable in a direction parallel to the axisof rotation of said head from a position below the seaming dies tooperative position adjacent said dies.

5. In a can end seaming machine, a rotary head, seaming dies carried bysaid head, a rotary member for moving said dies into and out ofoperative position, driving means for rotating said head, a selectivelyoperable clutch for driving said rotary member at a speed differing fromsaid head, toggle links connected to and arranged to operate saidclutch, electro-magnetic means controlling said toggle links, anelectric circuit including a switch for controlling saidelectro-magnetic means, and means carried said head, means selectivelyoperable for driving said rotary member at a speed diiiering from saidhead, and an electric circuit including a switch mounted on said head,and means on said rotary member for actuating said switch uponpredetermined relative movement between said head and said rotarymember.

7. In a can end seaming machine. a pair of rotary members, seaming diescarried by one of said members, means for moving said dies into and outof operative position carried by the other of said members, drivingmeans for rotating one oi! said members, means selectively operable fordriving the other or said members at a speed differing from said firstmember, and an electric circuit including a switch mounted on one ofsaid members for controlling said selective means, and means carried bythe other of said members for actuating said switch upon predeterminedrelative movement between said members.

WILLIAM CAMERON.

